


Hiding

by Abradystrix



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:35:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25245505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abradystrix/pseuds/Abradystrix
Summary: Written for @romioneficfest 2020 on Tumblr.Prompt/Day: Day 8, cloakroom at the Ministry.Brief summary: It’s hard to celebrate when so much has been lost.Any possible triggering/warning tags: Mention of death and war.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23





	Hiding

By the time Hermione has extricated herself from yet another conversation with a Ministry official, she has no idea where Ron has gone. She can see Harry across the room, standing with Kingsley and someone who looks very much like Mafalda Hopkirk. Harry raises his eyebrows at her and smiles tiredly. She smiles back, but continues to scan the room for a shock of red hair. A glass of champagne is clutched in her hand and her feet are sore in the first pair of heels she’s worn since Bill and Fleur’s wedding.

A mere month post-battle, the Ministry have invited the trio to an official dinner to thank them for their service. It has turned out to be more of an exhausting networking event, with each Ministry department vying for their attention and interest. Harry is bearing up relatively well, sticking close to Kingsley and, as far as Hermione can tell, zoning out of the conversations where he can. The last time she saw Ron, he’d been cornered by an enthusiastic employee of the Department of Magical Education.

She catches sight of the trademark Weasley hair, but soon realises she’s looking at Percy. He walks over to her, a plate of food in hand.

‘Hermione, have you seen Ron?’ Percy asks.

‘I was about to ask you the same thing,’ she replies anxiously. ‘I’ll go and have a look for him. I’ll be back soon.’

She doesn’t give Percy much of a chance to respond before darting out of the room.

She makes her way down the hallway they entered through, wondering if Ron is in the bathroom. Before she can decide whether or not to knock, she hears a clatter from a small antechamber to her left. One hand hovering over the hidden wand pocket in her skirt, she pushes the old door open.

Travelling cloaks line the walls, and Hermione is surprised to find Ron sitting in a corner, leaning against the wall in a space between cloaks. His tie has been loosened and a half-drunk glass of champagne sits beside him. His eyes are closed and he’s breathing heavily.

‘Ron?’

He starts, his hand flying for his wand.

‘Ron, it’s me, it’s okay!’ She holds her hands up, spilling her glass slightly. He looks up at her with slightly wild eyes. He sighs and leans his head back against the wall. He looks so tired, thinks Hermione. Since she’s been sleeping in Ginny’s room, she has no idea how he’s been coping in the night. Sensing that all is not well, she seals the door and casts a silencing charm. She moves to sit next to him and they sit in silence for a while.

‘It’s all a bit surreal, isn’t it.’ Her voice is quiet as she swirls the champagne left in her glass. She doesn’t really have a taste for it.

He snorts.

’Surreal bollocks.’

The hurt is radiating from him. Hermione feels her heart tighten, his grief and confusion palpable. She grabs his hand and wraps his fingers in hers. She squeezes his hand.

‘It is bollocks,’ she agrees. He looks a little startled to hear that word coming from her. ‘Do you want to talk?’

He hesitates. She rests her head on his shoulder.

’It’s ok if not.’

‘It just doesn’t feel right. People died. Fred — he died.’

‘I know.’

‘And we’re here, drinking effing champagne and pretending like any of us have a clue about anything anymore. It’s not right.’

His voice is cracking, and he wipes at his eyes roughly with his suit sleeve.

Hermione lets go of his hand and moves so that she’s sitting across his lap. The movement is intimate but in this moment, not sexual. She wraps her arms around him in a hug, pressing her face into his neck.

‘Is this okay?’ Her voice is soft.

’This helps.’

She kisses him softly on the mouth, running her hands through his hair, trying to give him the comfort he needs. He rests his forehead on hers.

‘I love you, you know that?’

She blushes.

‘I do.’

Sighing, Ron twists to look at his watch.

‘We should get back. Percy will be going spare. He still gets funny about being away from us.’

‘It’s kind of sweet,’ Hermione says, getting to her feet and trying to smooth her skirt.

‘It’s kind of annoying,’ Ron mutters, but she can tell his heart isn’t in it.

’Together?’ She offers him her hand, as he finishes straightening his tie.

’Together.’

He grabs her hand and they make their way out of the door and back to the surreality of the evening.


End file.
